Win-win for ALR and winery?

In the previous post about the Lulu Island Winery and its ALR implications, I ended with a note of optimism: “Personally, I wish continued success to both the Lulu Island Wineries and the ALR. That will require imaginative win-win solutions. It is still very possible.”

With that in mind, I emailed a four-page memo in PDF to the Agricultural Land Commission. It lets the commission know about the Lulu Island Winery’s infraction that everyone in Richmond who reads the local papers has already heard of. It goes on to suggest some examples of ways the winery could adapt what it’s doing to contribute to the goals of the ALR.

To be fair and as helpful as possible, I also sent the memo to Lulu Island Winery. The brief covering message told them that, although I had pointed out the apparent problem to the ALC, I had also “encouraged finding suitable permissible uses for the extra space as a means to resolving your problems. Your business is an asset to Richmond and can be a suitable use of ALR land. This is my contribution toward those happy results being achieved as soon as possible.” The winery owners will have received the message and attached memo first thing on Monday morning, and there’s been no response by Tuesday evening.

Some Friends of Garden City will think I’m being too soft and compromising, and I should point out that my memo expresses my personal views. There is no single Garden City Lands Coalition position on the issue. People who support the goals of the ALR can have different views about how to achieve them in particular siutations like the Lulu Island Winery one. Feel free to express your views in the comments.